Apparatus for pumping liquid



Feb. 16, 1932. H. w. FLETCHER APPARATUS FOR PUMPING LIQUID Filed Nov. 9.1928 fla/w@ Z1). .7M/im x /NVENTOR B Y mu /V TTORNEY Patented Feb. 16,1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HROLD W. FLETCHER, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS,ASSIGNOR TO HUGHES TOOL COMPANY,

OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, A CORPORATION F TEXAS APPARATUS FOR IUMPING LIQUIDApplication led November 9, 1928.

My invention relates to devices for raising liquid from wells andpertains particularly to devices wherein a pressure fluid is introducedinto the well to force the liquid therefrom.

ln deep well pumping operations it frequently happens that the producingstratum Y is found at gre'at depths, sometimes five tid thousand feet ormore below the surface. The pumping ot such wells is a serious plpblemin that the reciprocating plunger which 1s ordinarily used must beoperated by a pump rod extending to the surface and, Where the rods areot such great length, the weight ot the rod is so great that there isdanger ot the upper portion of the rod being strained or broken, andwhen, to this weight of the rod is added the head ot Huid handled by theplunger, it is found to be diicult to provide a pump rod which is strongenough to handle such loads. Furthermore, when it becomes necessary toremove the pump rod and plunger trom the well a long period ot time 1srequired to pert'orm the operation of removing and replacing the plungerto the bottom ot' the tubing, and during such operations, pro duction otduid is lost.

rlFhis inoperative period in deep wells often comprises a major portionot the time and accordingly has resulted either in reduced production orcomplete abandonment of the well. rlhe idea ot lifting the oil byintroducing air or gas into the tubing below the surface o t the oil hasalso been adopted but the lealring ot the oil by the air pistons and theenormous air pressures required in deep wells has limited the use otthis form ot pumping.

lt is an object ot my invention to provide an apparatus whereby aplunger may be used tor discharging liquid from the well, but in whichno sucker rods are necessary. lt is desired to arrange the apparatus sothat the plunger will be free to travel in the tubing and with its loadof fluid may be raised to the surtace through pressure of air, gas orother duid.

lt is a :Further object to provide an apparatus ot this character inwhich a plunger is raised by fluid pressure and additional means SerialNo. 318,292.

whereby the pressure fluid is automatically controlled so as to raisethe lunger and to then be closed off while the p unger is dropping toits seat at the lower end of the tubing.

Itis another object of my invention to control the operation of a freelytraveling plunger whose length of stroke is from the surface of the wellto a point below the surface of the fiuid in the well to be pumped.

lt is also an object` to provide a by-pass for gaseous :fluid which willtend to aerate the liquid in the well to cushion the shock of thefalling plunger.

It is another object to provide a device of this character where thepressure ofthe load of liquid being discharged from the well will tendto operate to close the opening for the inlet of pressure fluid, and toso arrange the valve controlling apparatus that the valve will again beopened within a predetermined limit of time.

The arrangement and construction of the pressure application is somewhatsimilar to but 1s an improvement over the subject mat-` ter as set forthin my copending application, Serial #745,998 filed October 27th, 1924.

The arrangement of the device whereby iti may be automatically operatedto dischar e liquid :trom the well at regular interva s will be moreclearly understood when taken in connection with the drawing herewith,wherein I Ahave shown, partly in vertical section, an apparatusinstalled in the well, said apparatus embodying a preferred form of theinvention.

The device includes a casing l, which may be of any ordinaryconstruction, extending into the well and providing means for retainingthe Walls of the well. It has its upper end closed to form a fluid-tightchamber therein. To form this closure the upper end 2 of the casing maybefextended inwardly to tit about an eduction tube 3 or a suitablecasing head or gland may be provided. This tube may be the usual pumptubing in which the interior thereof has been machined or otherwisesmoothed to form a sliding it with a plunger 4, which is adapted toslide throughout the length of the tubing in making a stroke. The tube 3extends to a point below the surface of the liquid to be pumped from thewell and serves as a pump barrel.

The tube 3 is extended into the well a sufficient distance to besubmerged a predetermined amount in the liquid in the well. The lowerend has an inturned flange 5 upon which is supported a spiral spring 6,the upper end of which has a flattened seat 7.

The plunger 4 comprises a hollow body which carries at its lower end areciprocable valve 9 having a stem 8 protruding therebelow. To placethis plunger in operating position it is inserted at the top of the tube3 and allowed to fall by gravity through the tube until it strikes thesurface .of the liquid. Thereafter it settles more slowly as the fluidis compelled to pass through the open valve 9 and the body 4. The spring6 serves to cushion the shock ofthe falling plunger but also servesanother function, that of closing the valve 9 by contacting with thestem 8. y

The upper end of the tube 3 is closed with a cap or bull plug 10, whilea lateral discharge outlet 11 is spaced a short distance below the topof the tubing. This outlet may lead to any suitable container, notshown..

The pressure fluid, which ordinarily will be air or gas, is introducedunder pressure into the well through a pipe 12 connected with the upperend of the casing 1. In said pipe is an automatic periodically-operatedvalve 13 and a hand-operated valve 14. I have also provided a by-passfor fluid past the two valves 13 and 14. Th1s by-pass, shown at 15, hasa regulating valve 16 thereon and I- contemplate allowing this valve tobe open a sufficient amount to allow the constant discharge into Ithewell of a small amount of pressure fluid sufficient to aerate the uppersurface of the liquid in the tube 3, for a purpose to be laterdescribed.

The automatic valve 13 may be controlled by hydraulic means Iand has achamber 17 therein, a partition or diaphragm 18 1n said chamber closesthe passage therethrough eX- eept for upper and-lower openings 19 and20, and as will be seen from the drawing, these openings are verticallyone above the other, the partition or diaphragm being so formed as toprovide a structure adapted to co-operate with a valve 21 which hasdiscs thereon adapted to seat in both said openings slmultaneously.-V

A stem 22 on said valve extends upwardly through a stuffing box 23 inthe upper wall o f the chamber 17 and into a casing 24 approximatelycylindrical in shape. At the upper end of the stem 22 is a removable nut25 and at a point spaced a predetermined distance below the nut is anadjustable collar 26. Between the nut and the collar is a piston 27slidably mounted upon the valve stem. Said piston works closely withinthe cylinder and is held resiliently in its position upwardly againstthe nut 25 by means of a spring 28. Thus the valve 13 may be said to beperiodically operative as 'it closes when fluid depresses the piston andvalve stem and a period elapses dependent upon the time required for theescape of the Huid before it may again open. The lower end of saidspring rests upon a partition 29 in the lower end of the cylinder.

The upper end of the cylinder is closed by a cap 30 screwed on the upperend thereof. Said cap has an outlet pipe 31 connected therewith and amanually operated valve 32 in said pipe serves to regulate the size ofthe outlet. Between the cap and the upper end of the valve stem 22 is asmall compression spring 33. This spring tends to resist the upwardmovement of the rod as the piston slides between tle two seats formed bythe nut 25 and the collar 26. A lateral connecting pipe 35 connects theupper end of the cylinder'24 with the tube 3 andthis may be at a pointapproximately opposite the outlet pipe 11, as shown, or could beconnected into the out-let pipe. A check valve 36 in said pipe allowsthe passage of fluid from the tube to the cylinder, but prevents thepassage of fluid in the opposite direction. The pipe 31 may lead aroundto the discharge pipe 11.

In the operation of this device the apparatus is assembled, as vshown inthe drawing, with the lower end of the eduction tube submerged thedesired distance below the level of the liquid in the well. The lowerend of the tube basa central opening below the seat for the plunger andalso has lateral openings 37 through which the pressure fluid may enterthe tube below the plunger. The plunger 4 is inserted in the tube 3 byremoving the cap 10 which is then replaced. The valve 21 will assume theposition shown, and pressure fluid may enter through the pipe 12 to thecasing. This pressure will accumulate in the space between the casingand the tube, forcing the level of the liquid outside of the tubedownwardly in the casing, and upwardly in the tube. When the level ofthe liquid in the'casing has been depressed a sufficient amount to allowthe pressure fluid to enter through the openings 37 it will accumulatebelow the plunger and force the plunger with its superimposed charge ofliquid upwardly to the surface end of the tube 3 where it will dischargelaterally throughthe pipe 11. As the load of liquid above the pressurefluid begins to `discharge out the pipe 11, the speed of the plungerwill increase and some of the liquid will be forced past the check valve36 into the upper end of the cylinder above the piston 27. The pistonwill thus be forced downwardly against the action of the spring 28 andwhen it contacts with the collar 26 the valve stem and valve 21 will beforced to close and prevent the further inlet of pressure fluid to thecasing past this valve.

titl

neaaooi llthen the plunger l reaches the outlet ll all ot' the liquidhas been discharged and the plunger is traveling with considerablespeed, 'the bull plug l0 is partially filled with air and liquid whichacts as a bumper to stop the plunger'. its the lower end of the plungerpasses 'the opening 4l1 the pressure lluid in the tube 3 is allowed toexhaust. This release of the pressure allows the valve 9 in the plungerto drop open, and the plunger, due to gravity., begins to fall freely inthe tube 3. During this interval the valve 2l remains closed by theoperation of the delay piston 27 and valve 32. At the bottom of 5 thewell as the pressure is released in the tube 3 there occurs a surge ofthe liquid thru the openings 37 and at the bottom of the tube. l/liththis surge of liquid by proper adjustment of the valve lh' is includedsuflcient pressure duid to aerate the column which rises in the tube 3.This rising column meets the 'falling plunger Il retarding it and'slowing it down until it gradually settles on the seating spring 6. Theamount of liquid which passes thru the plunger d while it is settlingonto 'the seat forms the load for the nent trip. lily the time the pluner is seated 'the valve 2l is ready to open an thus again admitspressure to the underside of the plunger. The yportion l of the springt5 having closed the valve 9 there can be no leal(- age oit this newcharge of pressure duid and as it increases the plunger starts upwardcarrying its load ot liquid.

The plunger' comprises specially detailed constructions which forms thesubject matter of a separate application for patent and is not materialin the invention here disclosed.

lrom the foregoing description it will be apparent that by properadjustment of the valves lfl and 32 the operation of the device will beentirely automatic. The plunger will `tall, be raised by the pressuretluid discharging the liquid and releasing the pressure lluid, the inletof the pressure fluid is cut od, and the plunger allowed to fall and becush ioned by the rising aerated column of liquid. Thus a cycle ofoperation is completed which is entirely automatic, requiring only thesupply of fluid pressure. V

' lt is also to be noted that while the fluid pressure within the tube 3is relieved when the load is discharged, the pressure in the casing 2 isnot relieved to the same extent as this latter is hindered in its escapeby the surge of liquid into the tube 3. However, the level of the liquidin the casing 2 will reach the point indicated as at 38 in the drawingduring the interval between successive strolres.

The field of application of my improved pumping equipment is verylarge,the wells on which it may be installed will vary from a few feet toseveral thusands of feet. Necessarily, therefore, the time required fora complete cycle or round trip of the plunger will vary greatly fordiderent wells. ll, therefore, consider it within the scope of myinvention to alter the size of the valves, inlets, outlets and otherdevices to conform to any particular pumping problem. ln the deeperwells it may be desirable to locate a suitable cage adjacent the lowerend of the tube so that the volume of pressure fluid discharged at eachstroke is not excessive; in event such a construction is adopted theinlet pipe l2 would extend down in the well bore or the casing to thecage; With the different depth wells to be umped the efficiency of theapparatus will be greatly increased by locating the plunger seat at theproper depth below the surface of the static head of the liquid in theWell.A This depth of submergence will to some eX- tent control the loadwhich will flow through the plunger valve and be trapped when theplunger starts up, so that by varying this depth the most efficientworking point may be ascertained. The location of' the working pointwill, of course, vary with the depth of submergence, the fluid ressuredesired to be used, the specific gravity of the liquid being pumped, andthe back pressure, if any, upon the outlet pipe. Thus it is readilyforeseeable that the working point may even require alteration in thesame well if the static level is reduced by pumping.

While l have described a particular device for controlling the action ofthe pressure fluid, it is obvious that other equivalent devices whichmay be now Well lmown in the art may be substituted in the carrying outof the invention and without departing from the spirit thereof.

What ll claim as new is 1. In a device of the character described, awell casing, an eduction tube therein having a fluid-tight lit therewithand projecting above said casing, said tube having a fluid outlet abovesaid casing, an inlet. pipe for pressure fluid to said casing, a valvetherein, means operated by said pressure fluid to force liquid from saidtube, and means actuated by said liquid to close said valve.

l2. ln a device of the character described, a well casing, an eductiontube therein having a fluid tight fit therewith and projecting abovesaid casing, said tube having a fluid .outlet above said casing, aninlet pipe for pressure fluid to said casing, a valve therein, a plungerin said tube, operated by said pressure fluid to :force liquid from saidtube, and means actuated by said liquid to close said valve. l

3. In a device of the character described, a Well casing, an eductiontube therein having a fluid-tight fit therewith and projecting abovesaid casing, said tube having a fluid outlet above said casing, an inletpipe for pressure fluid to said casing, a valve therein,

means operated by said pressure fluid to force liquid from said tube,and means actuated by said liquid to close said valve,I said valvefbeingadapted to open after said liquid has been discharged.

4. In a device of the character described, a Well casing, an eductiontube therein having a fluid-tight fit therewith and projecting abovesaid casing, said tube havingr a fluid, outlet above said casing, aninlet pipe for pressure fluid to said casing, a valve therein,

means operated by said pressure tluid to force A liquid from said tube,and means actuated by said liquid to close said valve and means tendingto hold said valve in open position.

5. In a device of the character described, a well casing, an eductiontube spaced concentrically therein, a plunger in said tube, a seat insaid tube for said plunger, an inlet pipe to said casing for pressurefluid, an outlet for liquid from said tube, a valve in said inlet pipe,means holding said valve normally open to ad-mit pressure fluid to raisesaid plunger and liquid, and means operated by said liquid to close saidvalve while said plunger falls to said seat.

6. In device of the character described, a well casing, an eduction tubespaced concentrically therein, a plunger in said tube, a seat in saidtubefor said plunger, an inlet pipe to said casing for pressure fluid,an outlet for liquid from said tube, a valve in said inlet pipe, meansholding said valve normally open to admit pressure fluid to raise' saidplunger and liquid, and means to close said valve a predetermined periodto allow said plunger to fall.

7. In combination, a well casing, an eduction tube in said casing, aninlet pipe to said casing for pressure fluid, an outlet from said tubefor liquid, and a valve controlling said inlet pipe to regulate thepassage of pressure fluidmeans to hold Said valve resiliently in openposition said valve being responsive to the pressure of liquiddischarged from the well.

8. In combination, a well casing, an eduction tube therein, an inletpipe to said casing for pressure fluid, an outlet from said tube forliquid from the well, a valve controlling the inlet of pressure fluid tothe casing, means to hold said valve normally open, and means to closesaid valve responsive 4to pressure of liquid in the outlet from saidtube, said means including a stem on said valve and fluid pressureoperated means connected with said tube to force said stem and valve inthe direction to close said valve.

9. In combination, ,a wellcasing, an eduction tube therein, an inletpipe for pressure fluid connected with said easing, an outlet from saidtube for liquidirom the well, a valve in said inlet pipe, a cylinder onsaid pipe, a valve stem on said valve extending into said cylinder, apiston on said stem in said cylinder, and a connection between said tuben andcyli'nder for liquid, means to hold said valve normally open, saidvalve being closed by liquid pressure through said connection.

10. In combination, a well casing, an eduction tube therein, an inletpipe for pressure fluid connected with said casing, an outlet from saidtube for liquid from the well, a valve in said inlet pipe, a cylinder onsaid pipe, a valve stem on said valve extending into said cylinder, apiston on said stem in said cylinder, and a connection between said tubeand cylinder for liquid, means to hold said valve normally open, saidvalve being closed by liquid pressure through said connection, and meansto relieve said liquid pressure to allow said valve to open Within apredetermined period. 11. In combination, a Well casing, an eductiontube therein, an inlet pipe to said casing for pressure fluid, an outletat the upper end of said tube, av seat at the lower end of said tube, aplunger adapted to be supported. on said seat, said seat and plungerbeing submerged in liquid in the well, a valve to control the entranceof pressure fluid to said casing, and a by-pass past said valve to allowthe passage of fluid to aerate the liquid entering said tube.

12. In a device ofthe character described, a well casing, an eductiontube spaced concentricallpy7 therein, a plunger in said tube, a seat insaid tube for'said plunger, an inlet pipe to said casing for pressurefluid,'an outlet for liquid from said tube, a valve in said inlet pipe,means holding said valve normally open to admit pressure fluid to raisesaid plunger and liquid, and means operated by said liquid to close saidvalve while said plunger falls to said seat, and means to aerate theliquid in the lower end of the tube to check the fall of said plunger.

13. In a device of the character described, a well casing, an eductiontube therein, an inlet for pressure fluid to said casing, a plunger insaid tube, the lower end of said tube being submerged in liquid in thewell, means to control the flow of pressure fluid to said casing toforce said plunger. and the liquidy above it to the surface and means toaerate the liquid to check the fall of said plunger to thelower end ofsaid tube.

14. In a device of the character described, a well casing, an eductiontube therein, an inlet for pressure fluid to said casing, a plung- -erin said tube, the lower end of said tube being submerged in liquid inthe well, means to control the flow of pressure fluid to said casing toforce said plunger and the liquid above it tothe surface, means tooperatesaid controllin means to automatically close the passage opressure fluid to said casing, and means to aerate the liquid to checkthe fall of said plunger to the lower end of said tube.

15. A reciprocating pumping device inlos no l

cluding a lreely traveling plunger, a tube therefor, means to introduceluid under pressure beneath said plunger, a periodic valve controllingthe inlet of said fluid and means for regulating the period of saidvalve.

16. A reciprocating pumping device including a freely traveling plunger,a tube therefor, means to introduce Huid under pressure beneath saidplunger, a periodic valve controlling the inlet of said Huid and meanstor regulating the period of said valve, the last said means including aportion of the liquid being pumped.

l'l. A pumping device comprising a tube, a :treely travelingplunger'therein, means to introduce duid pressure to one end of saidtube, an outlet for the liquid being pumped, and periodically operablemeans controlling the flow ot said fluid pressure to said tube.

18. il delay valve for controlling the operation of a fluid operatedreciprocating pump, including a cylinder adapted to receive a portionolthe liquid being pumped, a means "normally tending to open the valve butadapted to be depressed by the pumped liquid to close said valve andmeans for controlling the escape of the liquid from the cylinder.

19. ln combination with a well, a pumping device comprising a singletube extending to the pumping depth, a freely traveling plunger therein,and means operable by a portion ol the liquid discharged to control theupward movement of said plunger allowing the said valve to close altereach stroke of said pump.

20. ln combination with a well, a pumping device comprising a continuousopen tube till liti

till

extending to the pumping depth, a freely traveling plunger therein, andmeans operable by a portion of the liquid discharged to control theupward movement ot said plunger.

21. ln combination with a well, a Huid operated pump including a pumpbarrel which entends from the surface to the pumping depth, areelytraveling plunger in said barrel, and automatically operable meansto control the movement of said plunger, said means including a periodicvalve controlled by a portion ot' the pumped liquid.

2Q. ln combination with a well, a fluid operated pump including a pumpbarrel which entends from the surface to the pumping depth, a freelytraveling plunger in said barrel, and automatically operable means tocontrol the movement oit said plunger, said means including ahydraulically actuated valve.

23. ln combination with a well, a fluid operated pump including a pumpbarrel which extends trom the surface to the pumping depth, a treelytraveling plunger in said barrel, and automatically operable means tocon- In testimony whereof I hereunto alx my 70 signature,v this 17th dayof October,y A. D. 1928.

HAROLD W. FLETCHER.

